Shock-absorbing shaft-coupling.



L. WILLIAMSON. sfiocjg ABSORBING S HAFT COUPLING. APPVIIQICATION FILEDJULY 23. 1913.

Patented July 4, 1916.

' view showing the construction of the meet- .LEE WILLIAMSON, OF CACHE,OKLAHOMA.

snoc -ABsoRBING SHAFT-COUPLING.

Application filed July 23, 1913. Serial No.780,791.

! '0 all whom it may 6mm Be it known that 1. LEE \Vmmauso'x, a citizenof the United Statesflresiding at Cache, in the county of Comanche andState of ()klahoi'na, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Sh0ck-.-'\bsorbing Shaft-Couplings, of which the following is aspecification.

The object of my invention isto take up and absorb the shocks and joltsusually trzn..--cinitted to an automobile in the operation ofstarting,and also when the drive whee; enter rats or meet obstructionsin the roadway, or for any other cause whereby the motor tends tounresistingly drive against a counteracting resistance.-

It is one oi the objects of my invention to provide a drive shaft formedin sections and to provide a. shock absorber connected to the sectionsso a; not. only to resist rotation of the sections in the, direction ofdrive, but also, to disposethe working elements of the device in such amanner that such resistance to relative rotation of the/shaft sectionswill be equi-dist-antly applied circumferentially of said sections so asto-relieve the-shaft sections of twisting or torsional strains.

The device of my invention will be more fully described in connectionwith the accompanying drawings and willbc more particularly pointed outin the appended claim.

In the drawings: Figure 1, is a view in side elevation ofthe sections ofa motor driven shaft of an automobile showing the device of my inventionapplied thereto. Fig. 2, is a sectional view online 2-:2 of Fig. 1. Fig.3, is a longitudinal sectional ing ends of the shaft sections.

Like characters of reference designate similar parts throughout thedifferent fignres oi the drawings.

i As illustrated. l, designates a shaft section extending from themotor, and which may be hereinafter termed the drive section, and 2,designates the shaft section adapted to be coupled by the device of myinvention to the drive section. and which may be hereina l'tcr termedthe driven section, and which drivcirscctimi extends toward and will beopera-tivcly connected with the drive axle of the machine. ll'owevcr,inasmuch as the present invention resides wholly in the shock absorber:l'or the shaft, I have not found it necessary to illustrate additionalparts. i

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J ulyl, 1916.

The drive section. 1, is disposed in alined relation with the drivensection 2, and in or der to maintain the meeting ends of the sections inaxial relation, one section which may be section 2, is provided with astud 3, adapted to fit in a correspondingly formed socket l insection 1. I do not wish to be limited to any special means of holdingthe meeting ends of the sections in axial relabearings maybe providedfor this purpose. Furthermore. I have not shown any means for preventinglongitudinal separation of the shaft sections as reliance may be placed'65 tion as they may be sleeved or ad acent upon the usual bearings forpreventing such movement.

Onthe drive section 1, a hub 5. 1s keyed or otherwise non-rotatablysecured, and the 'hub 5. is provided with a plurality or set of arms 6,which radiate from the huband are spaced in equi-distant relation withrespect to each other. In the form shown, four arms 6, are provided andthesamc are disposed at anglcsof 90 degrees with; respect to each other.On the outer end of each arm there is pivotallymounted at 7, a suitable.rod 8, having an abutment on its end which may take the form. of a nutand washer 9 and 10. Y

On the driven section 2, I key or otherwhich are journalcd in theopenings in the bearing extensions 13, so therein.

The rods 8. extend through the bearings as to be rotatable 14, and areslidabletherein, and the bean ings 14, form spring abutments betweenwhich and the rod abutments 9 and 10, ex-

pansi-vely acting springs 16, are interposed. 7

T have shown the-springs 16, in the form of coiled springs whichencircle the rods 8. Assuming that the drive is in the direction of theiii-row indicated in Fig. 2, it will be secn'that the springs 16. willbe placed un-. (ltlf;COHIPI'OSSIOH when the motor shaft sec-.

tion 1. is rotated so that the arms ,6, will rotatabl'y ad vance thearms 12. and thereby the driven section 2. Thus, the sprlngs will tendto resist the independent, on Of the shaft section 1, 'With respect tothe shaft section 2, in the direction of drive. Adjustment is affordedby the nuts 9, so that all of the springs will be under an equal tensionand as the spring devices are eqni'distantly spaced about theshaftsections, it will be seen that there will be no tendency to shiftthemeeting ends of the shaft sections out of alined relation as'thesprings themselves will, by reason of their eqni-distant disposition,serve to maintain the meeting ends of the shaft sections in alinement.-

While I have herein shown and described 1 one specific forinof myinvention, I do not wish to be limite'dthereto except for suchlimitations as the claim may import.

I claim:

A shock absorbing shaft coupling including in combination, a drive shaftcomposed of (hiring and driven sections disposed in alineld relation, acollar rigidly mounted on each of the sections adjacent the meeting endsthereof, a set of arms'radiating fron'r each collar at diametricallyopposite points a bearing pivoed between said extensions of each saidother, section for niding the free end of one rod therethrongh.removable ahntments adjustahly associated with the free ends of saidrods. and coil springs disposed about said rods and having therespective ends thereof hearing, against said bearings and saidahntments so that resistance to relative rotation of the shaft sectionswill be eqnidistantly applied circlnnferentially of said sections torelieve the said sections of a tnisting strain.

In testimony whereof I allix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LEE \VILLIAMN )N.

\Vitnesses:

G. J. Cmxcox, Ilexnr Gems.

